Founder and Managing Partner

Garnet S. Heraman is an investor + entrepreneur with 25 years experience at the intersection of innovation, diversity + technology. He is a Founder and Managing Partner of Aperture Venture Capital. He is also Chairman of FUEL OZ.Capital, an opportunity zone sponsor that pioneered the use of innovation ecosystems to drive inclusive development. Previously, he was a Founder of Aegis Investment Partners, a private equity boutique specializing in growth capital for corporate VC deals.

Garnet is an investor in or board director/advisor of numerous ventures including: Iryss Financial, Gather Voices, Gizer.io, Empyreal Logistics, GivKwik, Candy Lab AR, Dynepic, playPORTAL, Makomi and Biba.  He also is co-owner of the mission-driven fashion brand, Karina Dresses. A frequent speaker at events around the world, Garnet’s investments have been featured in Time Magazine, BuzzFeed, Forbes, Bloomberg, HuffPost, Thrillist, WSJ, Institutional Investor, Inc., Entrepreneur, GMA, Travel+ Leisure + O, Oprah Magazine.

His non-profit work includes the Brookings Institute (advisor); the Columbia Venture Community, where he is a global board member; TiE New York, where he was a founding board member (1999-2001); The CORO Foundation, which named him to their prestigious Leadership New York Program (2000-1) and; Rhizome.org, the world’s first digital art space on the web (1996).

Garnet lives in Laguna Beach, CA with his wife and one very spoiled rescue poodle. He runs Aperture VC’s west coast office.